“[Showrunner] Gary Glasberg and the writers are working on something special to address the passing of Ralph Waite in the season finale,” says a CBS spokesperson, “to honor both the memory of Ralph, as well as the character of Jackson Gibbs.”

Waite, who passed away earlier this month, had made a total of seven on-camera appearances on TV’s most watched drama, starting with the Season 6 episode “Heartland” and most recently in this past November’s “Better Angels.”

The beloved actor’s long TV resume also includes, most famously, The Waltons, as well as Murder One, Carnivàle, the miniseries Roots and recurring appearances on Fox’s Bones and NBC’s Days of Our Lives.